24th Dec: 9am to 6pm     25th Dec: Closed   26th Dec: Closed   31st Dec: 9am to 6pm   1st Jan: Closed
All other dates are our normal support hours 8am to 8pm on business days and 9am to 6pm on weekends

 

Payment Assistance

Struggling to pay your telco bill?

If you’re a financial hardship customer, you have a right to apply for short term financial hardship assistance (up to three billing cycles) or long term assistance (more than three billing cycles).

Assistance is free of charge.

 

 

What counts as financial hardship?

Financial hardship is when you can’t pay what you owe us because of things like:

  • personal or household illness;
  • unemployment;
  • low or insufficient income, including reduced access to income;
  • being a victim survivor of domestic or family violence;
  • a death in the family;
  • a change in personal or family circumstances;
  • a natural disaster;
  • unexpected events or unforeseen changes that have impacted your income or expenditure; or
  • other reasonable causes,

but you think you could pay if we had an agreed arrangement for one or more of the financial hardship assistance options we offer.

 

 

What assistance options do we offer?

If you’re a financial hardship customer, we may agree to:

  • allow you more time to pay a bill
  • accept a payment plan tailored to your ability to pay
  • put controls on you incurring charges e.g. spend controls
  • put restrictions on your service
  • transfer you to a different product that better suits your circumstances
  • offer you a free non-automatic payment method.

 

 

 

How to apply for assistance

  • You can apply for assistance by filling out an application form, available:
  • Online at https://connectedoz.com.au/payment-assistance/; or
  • By calling our customer experience team on 1300 859 778 and asking for a Financial Assistance Officer; or
  • By emailing billing@connectedoz.com.au.

 

If you need help with an application, please call our customer experience team, who will connect you with a Financial Assistance Officer at your request.

You can complain about financial hardship matters

You can complain to us in accordance with our Complaint Handling Process at  http://www.connectedoz.com.au/copmplaint-handling-policy-v2/

If you’re still not happy, you can complain to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO):

  • TIO website: com.au
  • phone 1800 062 058
  • email tio@tio.com.au
  • fax 1800 630 614
  • post PO Box 276, Collins Street West, VIC 8007

Other places to get help

You can also get information and advice from:

TIO – details above; and

financial counselling services.  To find and contact a suitable financial counselling service, visit the Australian Government information page at moneysmart.gov.au/managing-debt/financial-counselling